Stop the Rush: How to Avoid ‘Hangar Rash’

Safe taxiing and parking can prevent costly damage and FOD incidents on the airport ramp.

Meg Godlewski

Tuesday, March 31, 2026 at 11:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

The airport ramp is crowded space and can be dangerous, so tread lightly. [Credit: Meg Godlewski]

Key Takeaways:

Prioritize slow, unhurried ground operations and stay within marked traffic lines to prevent collisions with aircraft or structures, avoiding costly repairs.
Maintain constant vigilance for foreign object debris (FOD), tie-downs, drains, and people on the ramp to prevent propeller strikes and other damage.
In challenging conditions (e.g., low visibility, crowded ramps), employ extra precautions like checking shadows or using wing walkers, always prioritizing safety and clear communication.

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Never be in a hurry when it comes to getting an airplane out of a hangar, its parking spot, or across the ramp. Haste, as they say, makes waste and often results in expensive repairs when a wingtip hits a wall or another wingtip.

Who else has seen someone taxiing across a ramp like they are driving a car in a semi-empty parking lot? It can be downright dangerous, not to mention expensive when pilots try to drive across the ramp, taking a shortcut through the parking places and sometimes turning a wooden chock or a tie-down into a projectile—or, worse yet, clipping the wing or tail of another aircraft because from the pilot seat it can be challenging to gauge how close you are getting to objects off your wingtips.